Why Bishop Dwight A. Reed Is An Inspirational Figure?
Bishop Dwight A. Reed was born in Okmulgee, OK, on August 15, 1958, like many common people. However, his dedication, vision, kindness, and courage to serve made him stand out from others. He started his public welfare services when he was pastoring in the churches. After his education, He pastored two churches in Louisiana and in December 2017, he took over Christ Apostolic Temple, Inc. in Des Moines. He has pastored the largest predominantly African American church in Iowa.
Pastor Dwight Reed collaborated with different clubs and welfare societies and did everything possible to provide necessities to the needy. He has started and cultivated many community outreach programs to assist the community at large, and has taken them to the next level from 2017 to now. He started multiple welfare programs via the Christ Apostolic Temple Community Outreach Services, also called CATCOS.
CATCOS offers many communal Welfare services with other partners that enable them to serve their community. Through CATCOS, they have been doing community drives that include diaper giveaways, food box giveaways, and delivering food boxes to senior citizens, the disabled, and the public.
Not only CATCOS, but Pastor Dwight A. Reed, partnered with Costco to provide fresh food and produce weekly for community distributions. The leadership of Bishop Dwight A. Reed is not only about sermons and Sundays.
It is about meeting people where they are, understanding their struggles, and providing solutions that restore dignity. Under his leadership, the ministry has developed partnerships and started programs that extend beyond any church, whereby they are reaching into the community with immediate, applicable support that will ultimately change lives.
An example of this effort is the partnership with Walmart 360 that has allowed Bishop Reed's ministry to provide free backpack school supplies, household supplies, small appliances for household use, clothes, and educational items for students and their families who are in need, to name a few.
For many single and low-income parents who are simply trying to make ends meet, these items can potentially represent hope and relief, as well as the reassurance that their kids can start the school year with confidence.
Understanding that health is bigger than physical needs, Bishop Reed also supports programs directed towards emotional and mental well-being. In partnership with the Iowa Department of Corrections, he launched the Road to Recovery program to help individuals with substance abuse problems.
Utilizing the familiar and accepted 12-step approach, this program provides hope to people desperately seeking a second chance. In the same vein, he delivers a weekly course, Living
Above Anxiety, with the help of leaders trained by NAMI, which provides a safe place for the community to identify and manage challenges related to their mental health.